Amplitude is a rhythm-arcade game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, released in 2016 for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. It serves as a reboot of the studio's 2003 original, with many of the same developers returning for the project. Players navigate long, winding paths divided into separate instrument tracks — synthesizers, drums, vocals, and bass — firing at gem patterns to release musical energy and reconstruct the underlying song. The game's soundtrack, composed specifically for beatmatching, features contributions from Freezepop, Danny B, Jim Guthrie, and others. The overall presentation follows the structure of a sci-fi concept album, with a narrative woven through the visuals, music, and lyrics. Core mechanics are straightforward to learn but difficult to master, with online leaderboards providing competitive context. A local multiplayer mode accommodates up to four players, incorporating power-ups into head-to-head matches.
In 2112, Nanotechnologists at the Applied Meta-Prionics Limbic Tuning Department will create organic machines that can be inserted into the human brain to access both the physical and metaphysical secrets within. In an attempt to induce synesthesia, a “gift” that one of the technologists has, Mari programs a new batch of bots to enter her mind and unlock this enhanced visual/aural perception. This deluge of imagery and sound is overwhelming and unfortunately, Mari’s brain shuts down. You will use the AMPLITUDE Operating System to enter Mari’s memories, senses and emotions. There you will blast away the protective scarification that her brain has created around these synesthetic senses and bring her back to life.
